This approach will greatly magnify our efforts to produce a core of qualified first responders across the nation." In March 1998, Cohen announced an additional Department of Defense support initiative -- the military's first-ever rapid assessment teams, RAID (rapid assessment, identification and detection). "These new RAID teams will quickly reach the scene of the incident in order to help local first responders figure out what kind of attack occurred, its extent, and the steps needed to minimize and manage the consequences." He added: "Getting prepared for such an attack is extremely complicated, given the wide range of possible threats and the many players at the local, state and federal levels (U.S. DOD).
However, a large number of cities do not have any plans to respond to a chemical or biological attack. According to Biodefense.org, an educational and reference library website on this topic, many news stories published across the U.S. during 2004 showed that many cities are not prepared for any type of major incidence.
Florida, however, has been ranked as one of the most prepared states in the country. Florida, a state all too familiar with emergency after four hurricanes battered it last year, presents a model for bioterror preparedness. Yet even its boosters caution that much still needs to be done to address areas of vulnerability. Both Florida and North Carolina passed the grade in nine of the 10 categories that the Trust for America's Health (TFAH), an independent research group in Washington, uses to assess each state's public-health readiness. In 2003, Florida scored seven out of 10. The state has scored so well largely because of the strong public-health infrastructure it has developed that maximizes resources. Among such achievements is the state's coveted "green" status relating to the Strategic National Stockpile of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. It means that Florida, the first of only five states to achieve such a grade, is deemed adequately prepared to distribute vaccines and antidotes in the event of a mass disease outbreak.
Last February, health personnel from each of the 67 Florida counties took part in a large-scale exercise that simulated air passengers with bubonic plague arriving at various places in the state. The distribution test was passed. Officials also point to the state's five-year public-health plan, which calls for additional resources to counter bioterror threats. For example, in the event of a biological, chemical, or radiological attack leading to mass casualties, Florida's hospitals will be able to manage emergency treatment for 500 people per one million of population, and they will be able to admit 50 patients per one million. In addition, each region will be able to isolate 10 patients showing symptoms of diseases like smallpox. Florida has almost 17 million residents. Maintaining a strong response capability in Florida's Public Health Department laboratories has also been a priority, and the state has upgraded much of its equipment. Only one-third of states were judged to have enough scientists to be able to cope with a bioterror attack.
Other states are not doing as well in preparing for different scenarios, according to a Trust for America's Health report. It found only six states, like Florida, are adequately prepared to distribute vaccines and antidotes in an emergency. "More than three years after 9/11 and the anthrax tragedies, we've only made baby steps toward better bioterrorism preparedness, rather than the giant leaps required to adequately protect the American people," said former Senator Lowell P. Weicker Jr., president of the Trust. The report concluded that basic bioterrorism detection, diagnosis and response capabilities are not in place, and the country has a long way to go to protect the American public from such an attack.
The most significant downfall among the states was the lack of adequate public health labs and laboratory scientists to handle serious outbreaks. The Trust report found only 16 states have enough labs and 21 have enough scientists. Another report, conducted by Milbank Memorial Fund, found "By and large, most state departments of health were grossly unprepared for September 11 and its aftermath." Georges Benjamin, previous director of the Maryland Department of Health and also president of the Association of State and Territorial Health Officials, noted in October 2001, just weeks after the attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon, that "in a field where communication can save a life, some state health departments did not have an effective e-mail communication system with their local and county departments." The Atlanta Journal and Constitution, citing Benjamin, reported that "public health officials have been warning for years that the [public health] system is antiquated" (Markowitz).
Since 2001, the federal government has spent almost $3 billion developing strategies to prevent or at least prepare for bioterrorism attacks....
Bioterrorism Surveillance Challenges to bioterrorism Challenges to surveillance Having noted the surveillance methods that can be used in the monitoring of the bioterrorism and the possible intentional infection, there are some challenges that these surveillance systems might encounter. Bearing the nature of the agents that are used in bioterrorism, the challenges that might be experienced by both the syndromic surveillance and cell phone surveillance may have several similarities. The syndromic surveillance challenges Bearing the
Therefore the consequences of such restrictions and regulations have further complicated the case, the research activities have been either shunned or go unreported to avoid any confrontation with the investigation agencies, 'the climate of fear created by the Butler case is even threatening the ability of the United States government to detect bioterrorist activity, the labs in one state are no longer reporting routine incidents of animals poisoned with
Due to the apparently low level of contagion, the need for public awareness is not urgent, but it is still necessary. Warnings to stay away from the convention area and to report to a local hospital if symptoms developed after being in the area or in contact with someone who had been at the convention should be issued (CDC 2009). The known details of the attack, however, should not be
Counterterrorism Training Program Terrorism is a fact of modern life. On one level, it cannot be understood; it is difficult to empathize with those who have no empathy of their own and cause enormous suffering in the name of their own beliefs. On another level, however, there are components of terrorism that can be understood -- their tactics and methods, their choice of targets and more. Because terrorism is aimed at
Having known the mounting dangers, many public health and bio-terrorism experts, members of Congress and some well-positioned Bush administration officials convey increasing discomfort about what they think are flaws in the country's bio-defenses. Over the earlier years, awareness steps have been made, mainly in the large cities. But most of necessary equipments are not available. The federal government's standard answer to the anthrax assaults of 2001 and the warning of
Combatting Future Terrorism Fighting future terrorism Over the years, the U.S.A. government and the entire world has been battling with the issue of terrorism. This is because the act of terrorism has diverse faces, from the rebel terrorists, the insurgents, bioterrorism to the religious sect terrorism. The U.S.A. has in particular been busy figuring out the various ways to not only stop the terrorism act before it happens, but more significantly to
Our semester plans gives you unlimited, unrestricted access to our entire library of resources —writing tools, guides, example essays, tutorials, class notes, and more.
Get Started Now